38 Perfected without the Thumbpiece Cylinder Release

[Boulder350]

Found this 38 perfected without a side cylinder release. Its not mine, just saw it online.

It has an 6" barrel and has a serial number in the 51k range. Its in rough shape. The grips look replaced and of course the screw is wrong

Does anyone know the history on these guns? Neil and Jinks listed serial number 52,108 as not having a side thumb release.

[mmaher94087]

From my knowledge, they were manufactured late in production (51,xxx - 52,xxx range) to fill an order from a South American country, possibly Brazil. This order was around 1918 and believed to be for 1,000 units. These revolvers are very scarce in the U.S. The late Bruce Rogers (Perfected collector) had a list of those known to exist in the U.S. and that list was only 10 - 12 long.

[Boulder350]

Thanks Mike. The seller accepted my offer so will send in for a letter to see what the factory records say about it. It definatly needs a cleaning.

[Club Gun Fan]

I had one. It walked into the Concord NH gunshow years ago. No one knew what it was. Ernie Rice did! I bought it. It sold here in the U S of A.

[Boulder350]

Here are a few pictures of the revolver. Need to find some original grips for it. The grips were the same as the previous 38's, correct?

Sounds like some went way south and some were sold here in the states.

Don, do you know if your serial number was in the 51k to 52k range?

[mmaher94087]

"Need to find some original grips for it." Those look like they are the originals. See if the SN is scratched on the inside. Although you ask Don about his SN, mine was in the early 52K range and shipped to Shapleigh Hardware Co. in January, 1918.

[Boulder350]

Thanks for the info Mike. It would be nice if the grips are numbered to the gun.

[glowe]

Originally Posted by Boulder350

. . . Need to find some original grips for it. The grips were the same as the previous 38's, correct? . . .

Stocks for this model were I frame black hard rubber, which were the same as 38 Double Action stocks. Remember that the frame was an I frame 32 Long revolver of the same era. I agree that they look original and 99% of this model had black hard rubber stocks.

[gmborkovic]

So, its a solid frame New Departure?

[Boulder350]

Its a 38 Double Action Perfected Model. The Standard Catalog of Smith and Wesson 4th Edition says "A few Perfecteds were made without the thumbpiece cylinder release on the frame"

The attached picture of the gun from the original post with the red background does not have the thumbpiece. The attached picture with the white background shows a standard perfected with the thumbpiece circled.